Latest news with #BritishNationalityAct
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The 'surprising' legacies of Windrush generation
"Surprising stories" from a city's first African Caribbean residents are being shared in an exhibition looking at the legacies of the Windrush generation. The project was the brainchild of Dr Carol Brown-Leonardi, founder of the African Caribbean Research Group (ACRG), in partnership with the Museum of Cambridge. She said: "Stories I didn't expect to hear came flowing out and I thought, 'Oh my gosh, we need to put them in a museum and let people see them'." They include an artist whose works are now in national collections, a midwife who set up a clinic in Sierra Leone - and a forgotten cricket team. Open University lecturer Dr Brown-Leonardi began gathering the oral histories in 2023 and found them "so surprising and unexpected" that she approached the museum about showcasing them. "We didn't realise we had an elder who is an artist called John Lyons, now 92, who is part of the Cambridge community, who has his work in several national collections in art galleries all over England," she said. "And there's a 92-year-old Windrush nurse called Lileth Warford, who was in a dual-heritage marriage in the 1960s. She and her husband went to Iran and then to Sierra Leone, where she opened a mother and baby clinic." In 1948, the British Nationality Act gave people from colonies the right to live and work in Britain to help fill post-war labour shortages and rebuild the economy. That year, HMT Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury, Essex, bringing hundreds of passengers from the Caribbean to the UK. It became a symbol of a wider mass-migration movement. These travellers - and those on other ships which came to the UK until 1971 - became known as the Windrush generation. Many had served in the British armed forces in World War Two. Jamaican-born Albert Gordon was the landlord of the Midland Tavern, on Devonshire Steet, now the Devonshire Arms, and it turned out he had a link to a forgotten cricket team. Dr Brown-Leonardi said: "His grandson discovered he was very instrumental in forming a Caribbean cricket team in Cambridge which lasted until the 1980s. "The ACRG thought we were the first to set up an African-Caribbean cricket club - which is open to people from any ethnicity in Cambridgeshire - but we weren't the first at all." The project also unearthed the first soldier of Caribbean-heritage to serve in Northern Ireland, the woman who set up the city's first African Caribbean church and a man who fought in Borneo while serving with the RAF. "It's really important to have these stories in a local museum because the city's Caribbean community is very much in the shadows and people will see the contribution they made, how dynamic they were - what they did is incredible," she said. Legacies of Windrush in Cambridge was funded by a £48,000 grant from the Arts Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It runs until January. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. The city where one in four has a non-UK passport 'Film is an act of love from the whole community' Windrush was 'the best decision I ever made' Project celebrates legacy of Windrush families What is Windrush Day? Museum of Cambridge African Caribbean Research Group
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The 'surprising' legacies of Windrush generation
"Surprising stories" from a city's first African Caribbean residents are being shared in an exhibition looking at the legacies of the Windrush generation. The project was the brainchild of Dr Carol Brown-Leonardi, founder of the African Caribbean Research Group (ACRG), in partnership with the Museum of Cambridge. She said: "Stories I didn't expect to hear came flowing out and I thought, 'Oh my gosh, we need to put them in a museum and let people see them'." They include an artist whose works are now in national collections, a midwife who set up a clinic in Sierra Leone - and a forgotten cricket team. Open University lecturer Dr Brown-Leonardi began gathering the oral histories in 2023 and found them "so surprising and unexpected" that she approached the museum about showcasing them. "We didn't realise we had an elder who is an artist called John Lyons, now 92, who is part of the Cambridge community, who has his work in several national collections in art galleries all over England," she said. "And there's a 92-year-old Windrush nurse called Lileth Warford, who was in a dual-heritage marriage in the 1960s. She and her husband went to Iran and then to Sierra Leone, where she opened a mother and baby clinic." In 1948, the British Nationality Act gave people from colonies the right to live and work in Britain to help fill post-war labour shortages and rebuild the economy. That year, HMT Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury, Essex, bringing hundreds of passengers from the Caribbean to the UK. It became a symbol of a wider mass-migration movement. These travellers - and those on other ships which came to the UK until 1971 - became known as the Windrush generation. Many had served in the British armed forces in World War Two. Jamaican-born Albert Gordon was the landlord of the Midland Tavern, on Devonshire Steet, now the Devonshire Arms, and it turned out he had a link to a forgotten cricket team. Dr Brown-Leonardi said: "His grandson discovered he was very instrumental in forming a Caribbean cricket team in Cambridge which lasted until the 1980s. "The ACRG thought we were the first to set up an African-Caribbean cricket club - which is open to people from any ethnicity in Cambridgeshire - but we weren't the first at all." The project also unearthed the first soldier of Caribbean-heritage to serve in Northern Ireland, the woman who set up the city's first African Caribbean church and a man who fought in Borneo while serving with the RAF. "It's really important to have these stories in a local museum because the city's Caribbean community is very much in the shadows and people will see the contribution they made, how dynamic they were - what they did is incredible," she said. Legacies of Windrush in Cambridge was funded by a £48,000 grant from the Arts Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It runs until January. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. The city where one in four has a non-UK passport 'Film is an act of love from the whole community' Windrush was 'the best decision I ever made' Project celebrates legacy of Windrush families What is Windrush Day? Museum of Cambridge African Caribbean Research Group
BBC News
26-04-2025
- BBC News
'Surprising' legacies of Cambridge Windrush generation revealed
"Surprising stories" from a city's first African Caribbean residents are being shared in an exhibition looking at the legacies of the Windrush project was the brainchild of Dr Carol Brown-Leonardi, founder of the African Caribbean Research Group (ACRG), in partnership with the Museum of said: "Stories I didn't expect to hear came flowing out and I thought, 'Oh my gosh, we need to put them in a museum and let people see them'."They include an artist whose works are now in national collections, a midwife who set up a clinic in Sierra Leone - and a forgotten cricket team. Open University lecturer Dr Brown-Leonardi began gathering the oral histories in 2023 and found them "so surprising and unexpected" that she approached the museum about showcasing them. "We didn't realise we had an elder who is an artist called John Lyons, now 92, who is part of the Cambridge community, who has his work in several national collections in art galleries all over England," she said."And there's a 92-year-old Windrush nurse called Lileth Warford, who was in a dual-heritage marriage in the 1960s. She and her husband went to Iran and then to Sierra Leone, where she opened a mother and baby clinic." What is the Windrush generation? In 1948, the British Nationality Act gave people from colonies the right to live and work in Britain to help fill post-war labour shortages and rebuild the year, HMT Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury, Essex, bringing hundreds of passengers from the Caribbean to the became a symbol of a wider mass-migration travellers - and those on other ships which came to the UK until 1971 - became known as the Windrush had served in the British armed forces in World War Two. Jamaican-born Albert Gordon was the landlord of the Midland Tavern, on Devonshire Steet, now the Devonshire Arms, and it turned out he had a link to a forgotten cricket team. Dr Brown-Leonardi said: "His grandson discovered he was very instrumental in forming a Caribbean cricket team in Cambridge which lasted until the 1980s."The ACRG thought we were the first to set up an African-Caribbean cricket club - which is open to people from any ethnicity in Cambridgeshire - but we weren't the first at all." The project also unearthed the first soldier of Caribbean-heritage to serve in Northern Ireland, the woman who set up the city's first African Caribbean church and a man who fought in Borneo while serving with the RAF. "It's really important to have these stories in a local museum because the city's Caribbean community is very much in the shadows and people will see the contribution they made, how dynamic they were - what they did is incredible," she said. Legacies of Windrush in Cambridge was funded by a £48,000 grant from the Arts Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It runs until January. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Express Tribune
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Afghan refugee challenges UK citizenship rules for illegal entry
Listen to article A young Afghan refugee has launched the first legal challenge against the UK government's planned changes to citizenship rules, which could prevent those who arrive via 'dangerous journeys,' such as small boats or lorries, from obtaining British citizenship. The case is being brought by a 21-year-old Afghan who fled Afghanistan at the age of 14, arriving in the UK after being smuggled in the back of a lorry. The refugee was granted asylum and, after five years, received indefinite leave to remain. He was scheduled to apply for British citizenship on March 1, but new government proposals introduced last week have made it almost impossible for refugees who arrived through irregular means to apply, regardless of the time they have spent in the UK. Tens of thousands of refugees could be impacted by the new guidelines, which state that from February 10, 2025, anyone applying for citizenship who previously entered the UK illegally will be denied, even if they have lived in the country for many years. The Afghan refugee behind the challenge has described the situation as "a source of great anxiety," fearing that the new rules will leave him vulnerable and isolated, unable to vote or travel freely. The changes have made him feel uncertain about his future in the UK, where he has been living for nearly seven years. His legal team, led by Toufique Hossain of Duncan Lewis solicitors, argues that the updated guidance, which defines refugees as not of 'good character' because of their method of entry, is unlawful. Hossain criticized the policy as politically motivated, accusing Home Secretary Yvette Cooper of repeating the mistakes of previous administrations by introducing measures aimed at punishing refugees and migrants who entered the UK through irregular channels. The new policy forms part of updated government guidance regarding the 'good character' requirement for citizenship. Under the revised rules, applicants who entered the UK illegally — including those arriving via small boats — are deemed ineligible for British citizenship, regardless of their conduct since their arrival. Prior to the publication of this guidance, the Afghan refugee would have met the good character requirements. He has no criminal record, followed immigration rules, has a strong command of English, and plans to train as a mechanical engineer to contribute to the British economy and society. The legal challenge points out that the new policy contradicts international law, including the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, which states that refugees should not be penalized for illegal entry. The convention also calls for states to expedite naturalization processes for refugees. The legal claim argues that the government's new policy misinterprets the provisions of the 1981 British Nationality Act and breaches the European Convention on Human Rights and equality laws. The policy has sparked widespread criticism, with refugee advocacy groups and some Labour MPs, including Stella Creasy, condemning it as a measure that would permanently keep refugees in a position of second-class citizenship. A Home Office spokesperson defended the changes, saying, "There are longstanding rules that can prevent those arriving illegally from gaining citizenship. This guidance is strengthening these measures to make it clear that anyone who enters the UK illegally, including small boat arrivals, faces having a British citizenship application refused."
